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Gabby has that first little baby tooth. It’s a sharp little thing and she knows how to use it. I’ve felt bad for her. She’ll stick those chubby little fingers in her mouth to gnaw on and then she’ll start to cry because she bit down with that chomper. She’s started to figure it out now.

Miss Kate is making steady progress on the potty—yea! I’m so happy for her. She’s really proud of herself. We’re now on to the next hurdle we have to cross. She’s become terrified of everything. We’ve lived basically across the street from the train tracks for months, now we’re constantly afraid of them (it’s a very active line and we hear the whistles day and night). Also on her list is any public toilet (this came from the wonderful automatic flushing ones that automatically flushed while she was on it), her father with Easter egg halves over his eyes (don’t ask), and when we make the roar sound when we do animal noises. She always loved to roar. I know it’s a phase and that she’ll grow out of it. She’s never had stranger anxiety, so I thought we might miss this one too.

And Finally Gabby's Pictures

It took awhile to get Gabby's pictures back and even longer for me to post them. They turned out well and we even got some with the two girls together without anyone crying!

My Monies

We’ve been working to get our two year old used to sitting through the service at church. We started by having her stay through the first couple of hymns, allowing us to slip out during the last stanza and back in after dropping her off in the nursery without interrupting the service. Now that she’s doing well with that we decided it would be a good time to increase her “pew time.” We talked to her about the offering—thinking that would be a good incentive to stick around. She seemed interested in putting her money in the plate, so off to church we went.

She was a little fidgety and told me all about the people around us closing their eyes for prayer. Finally we get to the offering. The plate is passed and with a little prompting she drops her little coin in the plate. She was horribly upset that then the plate was taken away. “My moneys!?!” Oh dear. We whispered to her we were giving the money to God and Justin whisked her off to the nursery.

After church we talked a little more about how the money we give to the church is used. It was a bit of a traumatic experience for our little gal, but she seems okay with it now and happily gave up her coin this week. God loves a cheerful giver!

Easter Pics

Kate-isms

Kate says some of the funniest things, as it is with most two year olds she hears things differently because she’s listening to the for the first time.

What Kate says: What Kate means:

Do ‘g-in That was fun--do it again!

Take the nuts out Take the [hair] knots out.

I sorry ‘bout that I’m sorry you caught me

I ‘preciate that ver’ much Thanks!

Holly’s Friends The police (or anyone with a siren)—Aunt Holly is a 911 dispatcher

See ya late See you later

‘Zert dessert

Ten Years

Ten years. A decade. It seems like a very long time, and admittedly a lot has happened in the course of these years, but when I close my eyes it seems too clear and close to have been that long ago.

In that time I’ve moved eight (?!) times, lived in three states (not counting the state of confusion), gotten married, graduated college, began and ended a career, and had two children. Yet I remember this evening ten years ago so clearly. Perhaps it is because in many ways that night was the start of most of that list. I guess the only thing that it didn’t have a hand in was my graduation.

It wasn’t the storybook romance. We were on a mission trip to Chicago. The best we could do for alone time, as sitting in the back of the van as we drove around with the rest of the group. That’s where we had our first quick kiss. Ten years ago today.

It’s not been easy—is any marriage ever? We’ve lived in separate states while I sold a house, moved far from “home,” and we’ve had to learn to live with each others quirks. We’ve had heartaches, waiting to have a child, giving up, and being joyously surprised. We’ve had countless blessings. We’ve been granted so many wonderful people to fill our lives—from students and co-workers to ministers and neighbors, and of course our two beautiful daughters. Today is a day that I rejoice that we found one another.

Red Letter Day

It’s a great day at our house! I’ll admit it’s been several days since I slept more than an hour and a half solid (do they some how play tag from their separate rooms at night?), but it was a good day none the less.

We started out with our MOPS meeting—a nice chance for me to be with other ladies. Kate loves to play with other kids too, so she is always happy about going to moppets. Kate even used the potty while she was there—yea Kate! Gabby spent her second day in the nursery there and did well.

The weather started off cold (26) this morning, but was beautiful this evening. We took the girls on a good long walk after dinner. It’s so nice to not have to wear heavy winter coats! It’s supposed to be even warmer tomorrow. I’ll ignore the call for snow this weekend for now and enjoy the warm weather and sunshine while we can get it.

Then this evening I was playing in the floor with Gabby and sat her up and she stayed on her own. Another milestone. It goes so quickly. I’m trying to treasure every minute, but I also don’t want to hold back my children when they are ready to move forward. It’s a delicate balance that I’m trying so hard to maintain. How do you tell your two year old she’s not old enough to read? You don’t. You just take I slow and when she’s bored, remember that she is only two and let it go until she asks again.

David

I’ve been finishing up reading Second Samuel again. It’s so amazing how diverse David was. Truly he was a renaissance man, though far before the renaissance. He was a strong young shepherd as a boy. One of my favorite things about him is the name of the group of men that were with him—the mighty men or in some places the mighty men of valor. What a phrase for men to try to live up to. Conversely he played the harp, evidently very well, and wrote beautiful poetry.

He is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.

-2 Samuel 23:4

David tried to do what God asked of him, but as a man he had many failings. He was still “a man after God’s own heart.” It’s interesting that He chose a warrior-poet. David was full of passion-- he was ruthless in battle, but contemplative.

I always think of David being led into battle by God when people say that our God is one of love, not of war. Many of those people state that was the Old Testament God, but Hebrews 13:8 states He’s “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Jesus, Himself said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” in Matthew (10:34).

This is a man who, for all his greatness, was not afraid of being humble in front of his subjects out of honor for God. There are so man rich lessons in the life of David and in his beautiful poetry.

Sleep

Sleep. Why is it that Justin is asleep almost instantly as his head hits the pillow and I lay awake? It’s not that I don’t need the sleep—goodness knows I will be up between two and seven times in the night.

Last night I was awake when the dryer kicked off, so what did I do? I got up and folded the laundry and started the load of baby clothes that had been soaking. I was still awake when the washer kicked off, so I went through the clothes to see which clothes needed to be rewashed. (On a side note did you know that stains you previously washed out can come back while the clothes are in storage? I found this out when I pulled out the first set of clothes for Gabby—what a mess.) Finally after pretreating and setting yet another load to soak I was able to go to sleep. Justin never even knew I'd been up.

This is a problem I’ve had since I was a little girl. I spent my nights contemplating possibilities for the next day and mentally reviewing everything that happened that day. Perhaps it started as a time for prayer, but it quickly spiraled into thinking about everything else that I need to do or did that I question. I remember reworking geometry problems in my head when I was in high school and reciting spelling words when I was in grade school. When I was teaching it was horrible. I was terrified that I would do something wrong and destroy a child’s self esteem or not live up to my duties.

He tells me to get a good night’s sleep just think of nothing. I don’t know how. Now I wonder if this is linked to the fact I multitask. I’m used to doing two or three things at a time all day long, so maybe that’s why I review as I’m trying to sleep. Justin thinks it’s a fun game to ask me at random times when his mind would be blank, “Quick, what are you thinking about?” Invariably there’s something running through my mind—a grocery list, a thought to pay a bill, or something.

I think it really hit him when we saw What Women Want. He asked, “Are you really always thinking?”

Yep!

Family Portraits

We went to get family pictures made. Kate had a great time, but Gabby didn't think it was too much fun. We'll have to take her back to get her own pictures done later--it wasn't worth putting her or the photographer through. Here are a few of the pictures!

To Get a Husband

Kate walks out to the kitchen…forbidden territory. I ask what she’s doing. “I’m getting a husband.”

“Come here,” I call. In walks Miss Kate with her fist firmly clasped. “What do you have?”

She opens her hand to show me her palm, “A husband.”

She has plans of how to get one and where she intends to keep him!

Life with Two

Each child is a blessing and a joy. Our love is not divided, but multiplied, but how does life change with an extra person? We awaited the birth of our second child with excitement. As we did, we had a few unanswered questions. Justin wanted to know if we were having a boy or a girl. I wanted to know how I would take my two children shopping.

Justin guessed girl—he was right.

I asked my friends with multiple children how they did the shopping and got the same answer from all those I asked—they didn’t. They waited for their husbands to get home so the entire family could shop or they could split the kids up while she went to the store. That was not the answer I wanted.

I had seen many women shopping with two, three, and even more children. I’m fiercely independent, so I knew I wouldn’t be happy if I couldn’t get my two little ones through something as simple as a little grocery trip. Besides the idea of taking Justin was like think of taking three children. Okay, not quite, but he does ask for the foods that little kids like. Honestly, he’s busy and by the time he gets home he doesn’t want to have to go shopping.

I must admit those first few trips were hard, but now we’ve got a system. Just don’t ask me to buy a jumbo pack of paper towels or toilet paper—there isn’t room!

It’s funny, but I think that’s been the biggest adjustment to our lives. Gabby fits right in—there are lots of little things we’ve done to make things work within our household, but who knew the biggest modification we would have to make would be putting the milk on the rack at the bottom of the cart.

More love, more fun, and a very full grocery cart!